PRIVACY POLICY

Acupuncture East

Woollahra, NSW, Australia

Last updated: June 2026

1. About This Policy

Acupuncture East is committed to protecting your personal information and handling it in a responsible manner in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

This policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal information, and how you can access it or make a complaint.

2. Who We Are

Practice name:   Acupuncture East

Practitioner:        Brook Canning and Nicola Marishel , Acupuncturists

Address:             Woollahra, NSW, Australia

Phone:                +61 2 9388 9669

Email:                 balance@acupunctureeast.com.au

3. What Personal Information We Collect

As a health care provider, we collect personal information necessary to provide you with safe and effective acupuncture treatment. This includes:

Personal details:

  • Full name, date of birth, address, phone number, and email address

  • Emergency contact details

Health information:

  • Medical history, current and past conditions, medications, and supplements

  • Presenting complaints and symptoms

  • Treatment notes, observations, and clinical records

  • Referral information from other health practitioners

Health information is classified as sensitive information under the Privacy Act and is afforded a higher level of protection.

4. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information directly from you in the following ways:

  • Intake forms completed by you at or before your first appointment

  • Verbal communication during consultations

  • Ongoing treatment notes recorded by the practitioner during and after each visit

  • Referral letters or reports provided by other health practitioners, with your consent

We will only collect information from third parties (such as your GP or specialist) with your knowledge and consent, unless it is unreasonable or impractical to do so.

5. How and Where Your Information Is Stored

Your personal and health information is recorded and stored in paper-based records held securely at our practice premises in Woollahra, NSW.

Paper records are kept in locked filing cabinets in a secure area that is not accessible to the general public. Only the treating practitioner has access to your records.

6. Why We Collect Your Personal Information

We collect your personal information for the following purposes:

  • To assess your health needs and provide safe, appropriate acupuncture treatment

  • To maintain an accurate and ongoing clinical record of your care

  • To communicate with you about appointments and your treatment

  • To coordinate your care with other health practitioners involved in your treatment, where required and with your consent

  • To comply with our legal and professional obligations

If you choose not to provide certain information, we may be unable to provide you with treatment.

7. How We Use and Disclose Your Personal Information

We will only use or disclose your personal information for the purposes for which it was collected, or for directly related purposes that you would reasonably expect.

We may disclose your information to:

  • Other treating health practitioners (such as your GP or a specialist), with your consent

  • Persons authorised by you (such as a family member or carer)

  • Medicare, private health insurers, or workers compensation bodies, where applicable

We will not:

  • Sell, rent, or trade your personal information

  • Use your information for marketing purposes without your explicit consent

  • Disclose your information to third parties without your consent, except where required or permitted by law (for example, in cases of mandatory reporting obligations, or where disclosure is necessary to prevent a serious and imminent threat to health or safety)

8. Disclosure Outside Australia

We do not disclose your personal information to overseas recipients. Your records are held in paper form at our Woollahra practice premises and are not transmitted, shared, or stored outside Australia.

9. Accessing or Correcting Your Personal Information

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you, and to ask for corrections if you believe any information is inaccurate, out of date, or incomplete.

To make a request, please contact us using the details in Section 2. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe (generally within 30 days).

In most cases, we will provide access free of charge. However, in some circumstances we may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of locating, compiling, and providing access to records.

We may decline to provide access in limited circumstances permitted by the Privacy Act, in which case we will explain our reasons in writing.

10. Complaints

If you believe we have mishandled your personal information or breached the Australian Privacy Principles, you are encouraged to contact us first so that we can try to resolve the matter.

Step 1 — Contact us directly:

Please put your complaint in writing and send it to us using the contact details in Section 2. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 business days and aim to resolve it within 30 days. If the matter is complex, we will keep you informed of our progress.

Step 2 — External complaint:

If you are not satisfied with our response, or if you prefer not to approach us directly, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

  • Website: www.oaic.gov.au

  • Phone: 1300 363 992

  • Post: GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001

11. Retention and Destruction of Records

We retain your personal information for as long as is required by law and professional standards. Under the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) and professional guidelines, health records for adult patients are generally retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last treatment (or until the patient turns 25, whichever is later, for patients who were minors at the time of treatment).

When your records are no longer required to be kept, paper records will be securely destroyed by cross-cut shredding or through a certified confidential document destruction service. Records will not simply be placed in general waste or recycling.

12. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The current version will always be available upon request from our practice.

For any privacy-related enquiries, please contact Acupuncture East using the details provided in Section 2.